"shared items",

Since I pretended to see you last,

• favorite Unhappy Hipster in recent memory.
• putting paint onto a speaker, and then playing something really loud. awesome. 
• this has been a great morning song for me the last few days. 
• Whatever you're doing, make sure it cuts the mustard. 
• I love Elie Saab. LOVE. So much that my wedding gown is inspired by his Spring 2011 collection. His Spring 2012 collection is also (as always) totally awesome.
• I love projects like this. Every day she's designing one lake logo... for every single lake in Minnesota. Which is to say, I love projects that take almost 28 years to finish. Logo above found here. 

Dear Chicago.

Chris and I went out to Chicago to meet his brother’s family. I worked all week so I could take the weekend off, and it was such a great trip. All fun all the time. 

The weekend was filled with everything I hoped to re-experience: freezing cold, deep dish pizza, the L, Dunkin Donuts, seeing my childhood home, and going to my old church. I thought you looked familiar, but that’s probably less from childhood memories, probably more from Home Alone. Twenty-two years later, I have only a handful of memories from our time together. It was nice to make some very sweet new memories: little girl sleepovers, duckie towels, cello/piano concerts, the most delicious birthday cupcakes, and three days of laughter. I look forward to more memories together, Windy City. Hopefully next time my parents can come.

boo boo bear

Dear Olives,

Yes, Chris sliced our cheese with a spork. On the flight back to San Francisco our picnic was a bunch of Dunkin Donuts. It didn’t look as classy, but it was TEN TIMES AS AWESOME. 

Last week I read this article about packing a picnic for your flight. So for an upcoming trip to Chicago, I went into my favorite Italian grocery store, and I bought crackers, pepper jack, fancy chocolates, and you – you salty, wonderful, scrumptious, perfect olives. And I guess I'm writing to apologize that you didn’t make it to the airport. You didn’t even make through the seven minute walk to my apartment. You looked too tasty. I had to eat you. Maybe you’ll make it on next weekend’s flight to Utah

(unlikely).

I love you,

the impatient eater

"Shared Items"

since I pretended to see you last:

• These Arrested Development paper dolls. Genius.
• All lava cakes remind me of Saturday nights in London. Even these ones from Trader Joe's.
• love Harrison Ford.
• Tom Hanks narrated this (long) 9/11 Boatlift video, and I've had it on my list of things to watch for months.
• Good (long) post if you like How I Met Your Mother.
• Thoughts on value re: spending money on photography and why portraits = more than paper.
• Explosions on my new favorite website.
• These backgrounds/desktops are pretty and can help you remember your resolutions as the year goes on. That one up there can be found here. 
• I love the new Paris Apple store

to 2012

Sometimes Chris is in a suit and Brittney is in muppet skin slippers + pajamas + a blazer. Sometimes (read: every single day) this is Brittney's go-to outfit. Sometimes Jess thinks that's funny and takes a picture. Sometimes the best way to start the new year is exactly the way you ended the last one.

I usually spend more time reflecting on the previous year:

making course corrections with my past mistakes in mind
(e.g. No More Swears in 2011).
but this December my thoughts were focused on the future,
and I have never been so pleased to welcome a new year,
so excited for what's ahead.

2012 enthusiast